Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney has unanimously elected Pittsburgh-based bankruptcy and real estate practice chair James Newell as the firm’s next CEO, taking over from current CEO and Philadelphia office managing partner Joseph Dougherty this May. 

Dougherty was first elected CEO in 2015 and began serving in 2016. Under his leadership, the firm navigated COVID-19, brought on its first chief diversity and inclusion officer, launched digital solutions center BuchananInnovate and its proprietary artificial intelligence tool BuchananArtifex, and merged with intellectual property boutique RatnerPrestia, a combination that went into effect at the start of January.